Power unit for propelling machines along railway tracks



C. JACKSON June 29, 1954 POWER UNIT FOR PROPELLING MACHINES ALONG RAILWAY TRACKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 31, 1950 INVENTOR. darza fl c/aa/raa/r BY June 29, 1954 c. JACKSON 2,682,231

POWER UNIT FOR PROPELLING MACHINES ALONG RAILWAY TRACKS Filed Oct. 31. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTUR. omw/W afar/mm @M ed Patented June 29, 1954 POWER UNIT FOR PROPELLING MACHINES ALONG RAILWAY TRACKS Cor-will Jackson, Ludington, Mich., assignor to Jackson Vibrators, Inc., Ludington, Mich.

Application October 31, 1950, Serial No. 193,219

13 Claims. (Cl. 105-90) This invention relates to improvements in power unit for propelling a machine along railway tracks.

Certain machines, such as the tie tamping or ballasting machine of my Patent 2,482,111, issued September 20, 1949, are designed to be moved from tie to tie. The means for translating the machine as illustrated in that patent are manually operated. The weight of the commercial embodiments of my invention of my aforesaid patent is approximately 8,000 pounds and therefore very considerable force is required to adjust the machine step by step as the work progresses.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a power unit for propelling a railway track working machine along the rails with an intermittent or step by step movement, which is under direct and accurate control of the operator to effectively propel the machine.

Second, to provide a power unit adapted for this purpose in which driving wheels may be continuously driven and adjusted to driving engagement with the rails as desired, thus avoiding the necessity of using clutches.

Third, to provide a machine having these advantages in which the driving wheels are automatically disengaged from the rails in the event the operator neglects or fails to manipulate the control means in suitable timed relation for the positioning of the propelled machine.

Fourth, to provide a power unit employing resilient track engaging driving wheels which have very effective tractive engagement with the rails without excessive rail engaging thrust being applied and which may be repeatedly engaged and disengaged from the rails without undue wear.

Fifth, to provide a power unit having these advantages and while constituting a complete unit adapted for attachment to the machine to be propelled, it is compact and relatively simple in structure.

Objects relating to details and economies of the invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a commercial embodiment of the power unit of my invention illustrated in operative relation to a machine to be propelled, parts of the machine being conventionally illustrated and parts of a 2 railway track also being conventionally illustrated. The housing, commercially used for certain of the parts, is omitted. The driving wheels are illustrated in track engaging position which, however, is not the normal position except when they are adjusted to driving position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partially in vertical longitudinal section of the structure illustrated in Fig. l with the driving wheels illustrated in actuated track engaging position in full lines and in retracted position by dotted lines, the actuating lever being shown in partially actuated position by full lines and in its initial fully retracted position by dotted lines.

In the accompanying drawing i represents the ballast road bed of a railway track, 2 the ties thereof, and 3 the rails. A fragment of the machine to be propelled is shown at 4, one of its carrying wheels being shown at 5. As stated, the power unit of my present invention is adapted for use in connection with the tie tamping or ballasting machine of my said Patent 2,482,111. It is, however, well adapted for use in connection with the spike driving machines such, for example, as is shown in my Patent 2,018,129, or the ballasting machines of some of my earlier patents, for example that illustrated in Patent 1,556,604, which machine is designed to be intermittently moved from tie to tie as the work progresses.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated comprises supporting bars 6-6 provided with attaching plates 1 adapted to be fixedly secured to the rear end of the frame or body of the machine 4 to project 'rearwardly therefrom. The drawbar coupling head 8 is also designed to be attached to the rear of the propelled machine. The frame 9 is tiltingly mounted on the supporting bars 6 by means of the link-like hangers H3. The upper ends of these hangers are adjustably supported on the bars 6 by means of the eccentrics H. The details of securing the eccentrics upon the journals 12 of the hangers in their adjusted positions are not illustrated. The lower ends of the hangers engage the studs It on the frame. For convenience in manipulation and the forming and assembling of the part, the frame 9 has a rear portion M of reduced width. The frame is made up of suitable bars of angle section but the details of the bars and their conneotions are not illustrated as they form no part of this invention. They are in general shown without the joints but it is understood that they are desirably made up of suitable pieces welded together.

The drawbar has a forked portion H5 at its front end embracing the rearwardly projecting portion of the coupling head 8 and is connected thereto by the kingbolt [1. The rear end of the drawbar is inclined downwardly and pivotally connected to the crosspiece [8 which may be an integral part of the studs [3 and is axially aligned therewith. The axle I9 is mounted in suitable bearings provided therefor at the front end of the frame.

The driving wheels 2| comprise a center or hub portion 22 surrounded by a resilient body 23 and provided with peripheral tire portions preferably spaced, the tire portions also being of rubber or of resilient material. The front end of the frame is biased upwardly to normally hold the driving wheels out of engagement with the rails by means of the coiled spring 25 seated upon the front end of the drawbar l5 and engaging the thrust member 26 on the suspending rod 2'! which is connected at its lower end to the yoke-like hanger and thrust member, 28 on the frame.

In the structure illustrated, a motor 29 is mounted on the frame and connected by the belts 30 to a pulley (H, the shaft of which is connected to suitable reduction gearing within the gear box 32. The details of this reduction gearing are not illustrated as they form no part of my present invention; however, the driven shaft 33 is desirably provided with a worm coacting with a worm gear element included in the reduction gearing. The driven shaft 33 is provided with a sprocket 34 which is connected to the sprocket wheel 35 on the axle by means of the sprocket chain 36. In the embodiment illustrated, the axle and the driving wheels thereon are continu ously driven when the unit is in use and the step by step driving by the unit is accomplished by the engagement and disengagement of the driving wheels with the rails, thus avoiding clutches and the manipulation thereof.

As considerable force is required to effectively drivingly engage the driving wheels with the rails, I accomplish this in the embodiment illustrated by power means. This comprises the actuating lever 3'! which is pivoted at 38 on the drawbar and is provided with a crank arm 39 provided with a roller 40 which serves as a thrust member coacting with the top of the hanger and thrust member 28. A belt or strap 41 is connected at one end to the lever 31 and passes around the sheave 42 on the driven shaft 33. In the embodiment illustrated, a section of V belt is employed, the sheave having a V groove 44. The other end of the strap 4! is secured at 45 to the pivoted arm 50. When the strap 4! is in normal or disengaged position from the sheave, it is without driving engagement with the constantly driven sheave and in that position the arm 5!] drops down to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

To engage the strap or belt 4| with the sheave, I provide a U-shaped shifter arm 46 provided with a roller 4! adapted to swing or press the strap into engagement with the sheave. This shifter is actuated from the manually controlled lever 51 which is accessible to the operator on the propelled machine. The transmission cable or element 52, conventionally shown in Fig. 1, is connected by the link 53 to the arm 54 of the shifter so that a pull on the arm 54 carries the strap 4| into driving engagement with the pulley. The pulley rotating in clockwise direction, as

viewed in the drawing, pulls the strap 40 from the retracted position shown in Fig. 2 to swing the crank arm into engagement with the thrust member on the frame and thereby force the driving wheels into engagement with the track. The parts are shown in partially actuated position in Fig. 2.

In the event that the operatorneglects to release the shifter, which is biased to disengaging position by means of the spring 55, the tappet 56 on the lever 31 engages the lug 51 on the arm 54 of the shifter and automatically actuates the shifter to strap releasing position and the driving wheels are disengaged from the rails by the spring 25. As stated, the driving wheels are resilient and also desirably have rubber or resilient treads, preferably two spaced treads which results in highly effective gripping action. Also, two resilient body portions 23 are preferably provided as distinguished from a continuous body portion.

As stated, the housing for the operating'parts commonly provided on the commercial unit is not illustrated. It is designed, however, to be positioned within the combined handle and guard member 58 which is of generally U-shape and provided with laterally projecting arms 59 at its forward end connected to the uprights on the frame, the arms 59 projecting above the supporting bar 6. These arms also serve as guards and handle members. The side members of the member 53 are loosely connected to the hangers I 0 by means of the hook-like straps 6|. These handle and guard members are of advantage in manipulating the machine for attachment to the machine to be propelled and when it is detached therefrom. When attached to the machine to be propelled, as is illustrated in the drawings, it is translated therewith or carried thereby. With the parts thus arranged the track working machine can be intermittently advanced along the track as desired without effort on the part of the operator other than by manipulation of the control lever 5|.

I have illustrated and-described my invention in a highly practical commercial embodiment thereof as especially designed and adapted for use with the tamp-ing machine of my said Patent 2,482,111. I desire, however, to point out that it is readily adapted for use with other track working machines as I have indicated by reference to my earlier patents. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe various embodiments or adaptations which I contemplate and which are possible as it is believed that this disclosure will enable those skilled in the art to embody or adapt my invention as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a power unit for propelling a machine along the rails of a railway track, the coinbination with supporting bars adapted'for mounting on a machine to be propelled to project rearwardlytherefrom in horizontally disposed laterally spaced rclation, and a coupling head also adapted for attachment to the machine to be propelled, of a frame, hangers carried by said supporting bars and on which said frame is pivotally mounted, a draft bar connected to the said. coupling head and to the rear end of said frame in alignment with its pivot axis to said hangers, an axle mounted at the front end of said frame, resilient rail engaging driving wheels on said axle,

means for yieldingly supporting the forward end of said frame with said driving wheels in retracted position, a motor mounted on the rear end of said frame, driving connections for said motor to said axle, an actuating lever carried by said draft bar and provided with a crank arm, said frame being provided with a thrust member with which said crank arm coacts to swing the frame on its said hangers to wheel engaging position, means for actuating said lever comprising a driven sheave, a strap connected at one end to said lever, a swingable supporting arm for the other end of said strap, said strap being disposed to partially embrace said sheave but being normally out of driving engagement therewith, a pivotally mounted yoke-shaped shifter provided with a roller on one arm coacting with said strap for shifting it into engagement with said sheave, a tappet on said actuating lever adapted to coact with the other arm of said shifter to release said strap from driving engagement with said sheave, a return spring for said shifter, and manual means for actuating said shifter.

2. In a power unit for propelling a machine along the rails of a railway track, the combina tion with supporting bars adapted for mounting on a machine to be propelled to project rear- Wardly therefrom in horizontally disposed laterally spaced relation, and a coupling head also adapted for attachment to the machine to be propelled, of a frame, hangers carried by said supporting bars and on which said frame is pivotally mounted, a draft bar connected to the said coupling head and to the rear end of said frame in alignment with its pivot axis to said hangers, an axle mounted at the front end of said frame, resilient rail engaging driving wheels on said axle, means for yieldingly supporting the forward end of said frame with said driving wheels in retracted position, a motor carried by said frame, driving connections for said motor to said axle, an actuating lever carried by said draft bar and provided with a crank arm, said frame being provided with a thrust member with which said crank arm coacts to swing the frame on its said hangers to wheel engaging position, means for actuating said lever comprising a driven sheave, a strap connected at one end to said lever, a swingable supporting arm for the other end of said strap, said strap'being disposed to partially embrace said sheave but being normally out of driving engagement therewith, a shifter coacting with said strap for shifting it into engagement with said sheave, a return spring for said shifter, and manual means for actuating said shifter;

3. In a power unit for propelling a machine along the rails of a railway track, the combination with supporting bars adapted for mounting on a machine to be propelled to project rearwardly therefrom in horizontally disposed laterally spaced relation, and a coupling head also adapted for attachment to the machine to be propelled, of a frame, hangers carried by said supporting bars adjacent the outer ends thereof and on which said frame is pivotally mounted, a draft bar connected to the said coupling head and to the rear end of said frame in alignment with its pivot axis, an axle mounted at the front end of said frame inwardly of the pivotal connection of the frame to the hangers, resilient rail engaging driving wheels on said axle, means for yieldingly supporting the forward end of said frame inwardly of the pivotal connection of the frame to the hangers with said driving wheels in retracted position, a motor mounted on the rear end of said frame above and approximately in the vertical plane of the pivotal connection of the frame to the hangers, driving connections for said motor to said axle, and manually controlled means for actuating said frame to wheel engaging position.

4. In a power unit for propelling a machine along the rails of a railway track, the combination with supporting bars adapted for mounting on a machine to be propelled to project rear- Wardly therefrom in horizontally disposed laterally spaced relation, of a frame, hangers carried by said supporting bars and on which said frame is pivotally mounted, a draft connection to the machine to be propelled, an axle mounted at the front end of said frame, resilient rail engaging driving wheels on said axle, means for yieldingly supporting the forward end of said frame with said driving wheels in retracted position, a motor mounted on the rear end of said frame, driving connections for said motor to said axle, an actuating lever carried by said drawbar and provided with a crank arm, said frame being provided with a thrust member with which said crank arm coacts to swing the frame on its said hangers to wheel engaging position, means for actuating said lever comprising a driven sheave, a strap connected at one end to said lever, a swingable supporting arm for the other end of said strap, said strap being disposed to partially embrace said sheave but being normally out of driving engagement therewith, a pivotally mounted yoke-shaped shifter provided with a roller on one arm coacting with said strap for shifting it into engagement with said sheave, a tappet on said actuating lever adapted to coact with the other arm of said shifter to release said strap from driving engagement with said sheave, a return spring for said shifter, and manual means for actuating said shifter.

5. In a power unit for propelling a machine along the rails of a railway track, the combination with supporting bars adapted for mounting on a machine to be propelled to project rearwardly therefrom in horizontally disposed laterally spaced relation, of a frame, hangers carried by said supporting bars and on which said frame is pivotally mounted, a draft bar connected to the said coupling head and to the rear end of said frame in alignment with its pivot axis, an axle mounted at the front end of said frame, resilient rail engaging driving wheels on said axle. means for yieldingly supporting the forward end of said frame with said driving wheels in retracted position, a motor carried by said frame, driving connections for said motor to said axle, an actuating lever carried by said drawbar and provided with a crank arm, said frame being provided with a thrust member with which said crank arm coacts to swing the frame on its said hangers to wheel engaging position, means for actuating said lever comprising a driven sheave, a strap connected at one end to said lever, a swingable supporting arm for the other end of said strap, said strap being disposed to partially embrace said sheave but being normally out of driving engagement therewith, a shifter coacting with said strap for shifting it into engagement with said sheave, a return spring for said shifter, and manual means for actuating said shifter.

6. In a power unit for propelling a machine along the rails of a track, the combination with supporting means adapted for mounting on a machine to be propelled, of a frame tiltably mounted on said supporting means, draft connections for the frame to the machine to be propelled, an axle carried by said frame, rail engaging driving wheels on said axle, means for normally supporting the frame with said driving Wheels in retracted position, a motor carried by said frame, driving connections for said, motor to said axle, an actuating lever operatively associated with the said frame to swing it to wheel engaging position, means for actuating said lever comprising a driven sheave, a strap connected at one end to said lever, a swingable supporting arm to which the other end of said strap is connected, said strap being disposed to partially embrace said sheave but being normally out of driving engagement therewith, a pivotally mounted yokeshaped shifter provided with a roller on one arm coacting with said strap for shifting it into engagement with said sheave, a tappet on said actuating lever adapted to coact with the other arm of said shifter to release said strap from driving engagement with said sheave, a return spring for said shifter, and manual means for actuating said shifter.

'7. In a power unit for propelling a machine along the rails of a track, the combination with supporting means adapted for mounting on a machine to be propelled, of a frame pivotally mounted on said sup-porting means, axle carried by said frame, resilient rail engaging driving wheels on said axle, means for normally supporting the frame with said driving wheels in retracted position, a motor carried by said frame to tilt therewith, driving connections for said motor to said axle, and manually controlled means for actuating said frame to wheel engaging position, said axle being mounted on said frame a substantial distance generally horizontally from the pivotal connection of the frame to the supporting means when the wheels are in wheel engaging position to facilitate an approximate vertical movement of the wheels when moved from and into such position.

8. In a power unit for propelling a machine along the rails of a railway track, the combination with supporting bars adapted for mounting on a machine to be propelled to project rearwardly therefrom, of a frame, hangers carried by said supporting bars for tiltably supporting said frame, draft connections for said frame to the machine to be propelled, an axle mounted at the front end of said frame, rail engaging driving wheels on said axle, means for yieldingly supporting the forward end of said frame with said driving wheels in retracted position, a motor car ried by said frame, driving connections for said motor to said axle, an actuating lever provided with a crank arm, said frame being provided with a thrust member with which said crank arm coacts to swing the frame on its said hangers to wheel engaging position, means for actuatin said lever comprising a driven sheave, a strap to partially embrace said sheave connected at one end to said lever and provided with a movable support at its other end, said strap being normally out of driving engagement with said sheave, a shifter coacting with said strap for shifting it into engagement with said sheave, a tappet on said actuating lever adapted to coact with said shifter to release said strap from driving engagement with said sheave, and manual means for actuating said shifter.

9. In a power unit for propelling a machine along the rails of a railway track, the combina- 8 tion with supporting bars adapted for mounting on a machine to be propelled to project rearwardly therefrom, of a driving wheel frame, hangers carried by said supporting bars adjacent the outer ends thereof for pivotally supporting said frame, an axle mounted at the front end of said frame inwardly of the pivotal connection of the frame to the hangers, rail engaging driving wheels on said axle, means for yieldingly supporting the forward end of said frame with said driving wheels in retracted position, a motor carried by said frame above and approximately in the vertical plane of the pivotal connection of the frame to the hangers, driving connections for said motor to said axle, an actuating lever supported in relatively fixed relation to said driving wheel frame and provided with a crank arm, a thrust member on the swinging end of said driving wheel frame and with which said crank arm engages to swing the frame on its said hangers to wheel engaging position, and means for actuating said lever.

10. In a power unit for propelling a machine along a railway track, the combination with supporting bars adapted for mounting on a machine to be propelled to project therefrom, of a frame, hangers carried by said supporting bars adjacent the outer ends thereof for tiltably supporting said frame, draft connections for said frame to the machine to be propelled, driven rail engaging driving wheels on said frame, resilient means for normally supporting said frame with said wheels in an elevated position, said wheels being mounted on said frame inwardly of the pivotal connection of the frame to the hangers, and manually controlled means for actuating said frame to wheel engaging position against the force of said resilient supporting means.

11. In a structure of the class described, the combination of supporting means adapted to be operatively associated with the machine to be propelled, a frame adjustably mounted on said supporting means, driving wheels on said frame, a motor operativcly connected to said driving wheels for driving the came, resilient means including a spring for normally supporting the frame with the driving wheels in elevated position, and manually controlled means driven by said motor for adjusting said frame to engage the driving wheels against the force of said resilient supporting means.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with supporting bars adapted to be mounted on a machine to be propelled along a railway track and to project rearwardly therefrom, of a frame, hangers carried by said supporting bars for supporting said frame for vertical tilting adjustment, rail engaging driving wheels carried by said frame, a motor carried by said frame having driving connections with said wheels, means for adjusting said frame to engage said driving wheels with the rails of a railway track, uprights on the swinging end of said frame, a U-shaped combined guard and handle member having laterally projecting arms at its front connected to said uprights and overhanging said supporting bars, and support members on said hangers loosely engaging the side members of said combined guard and handle member.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination with supporting bars adapted tobe mounted on a machine to be propelled along a railway track and to project rearwardly therefrom, of a frame mounted on said supporting bars 9 10 for vertical adjustment, resilient rail engaging References Cited in the file of this patent driving wheels carried by said frarne, a motor UNITED STATES PATENTS carried by said frame having drivlng connections with said wheels, means for adjusting said Number m Date frame to engage said driving wheels with the 6 400522 valemme et a1 1889 rails of a railway track, uprights on the swing- 661,721 Jenkms 1900 ing end of said frame, and a U-shaped handle 732,734 1904 member having laterally projecting arms at its 837,188 McGlfiert June 1907 front connected to said uprights and overhang- 9983764 Fergusm July 1911 mg the said Supporting bars 10 2,016,626 Constantinesco Oct. 8, 1935 

